What is Avant-Garde?

a·vant-garde (French pronunciation: [avɑ̃ɡaʁd]); from French, "advance guard" or "vanguard") is a French term used in English as a noun or adjective to refer to any creative group of people (or work) active in the innovation and application of new concepts and techniques, whose approach and ideas are markedly experimental or in advance of those generally accepted; particularly with respect to art, culture, business and politics etc. Avant-garde represents a pushing of the boundaries of what is accepted as the norm or the status quo.  

social innovation

Cultural Creatives: the “new progressives” (part 3 of 4) The Culture Creatives are the synthesis of the post-modernist and post-industrialist. If mobilized, they could wield enormous moral, social and political influence, and not only shape elections but weave a whole new social fabric. This is probably what we witnessed during the US election campaign, for President Barack Obama. The very ‘people’ who elected him were the “new progressives” a population that’s more interested in idealism than practical realism.